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The Dhakaani Empire
The Dhakaani Empire was once a mighty goblinoid nation that dominated most of Khorvaire over a period extending from about 15,000 years ago to about 5000 years ago. This 10,000-year-period is called 'The Age of Dhakaan '''by scholars. History In the Age of Monsters Khorvaire was occupied by few races to oppose the expansion of the goblinoid people (known as the ''dar, or the people in their native Goblin). The goblinoids clashed with various tribes of orcs and lizardfolk (as well as dragonborn), and other humanoids present on Khorvaire at the time, as they built up great nations on the continent. The greatest of these was the Empire of Dhakaan. The Empire of Dhakaan was founded by hobgoblins. Numerous cities of the modern age are built atop the ruins of the Empire of Dhakaan, including Sharn, Wroat, and Korth among others. 10,000 years ago the Dhakaani clashed with many humanoids to consolidate their power. The Dhakaani encountered lizardfolk in the Talenta Plains and forced them across the Endworld Mountains into Q'barra. The Dhakaani also clashed with the Tairnadal elves that had established a colony in Valenar, before the elves were called back to their homeland for unknown reasons. The Dhakaani goblinoids waged a campaign against the gnomes or "jungle rats," corralling them into the wilderness or taken them as slaves. The Dhakaani were pushed back from crossing the Ironroot Mountains by a united nation of dwarves. The Dhakaani fought a war against the invading forces from Xoriat, the Realm of Madneess, which exhausted the resources of their empire around 9,000 years ago; the Daelkyr were eventually defeated by the Gatekeepers, an order of orc druids. The empire was shattered 7,000 years ago after the forces of the invasion were repelled. The empire is believed to have ultimately collapsed for good some 5,000 years ago. Society Hobgoblins formed the basis for society in the Empire of Dhakaan. Bugbears were bred as shock troops, while goblins served as slaves. Dhakaani culture was mainly focused on warfare. Their smiths crafted powerful weapons and armor. The architecture of the ruins of the Age of Dhakaan are austere or in turn baroque, with caligraphic ornamentation on jewelry and magic items. Dhakaani goblinoids worshipped no gods and reserved their devotion for the empire itself. A tradition of female bards known as the duur'kala, the dirgesingers, was the primary form of magic-use among Dhakaani society. Records exist of necromancer cults within Dhakaani society for a time before being destroyed by an emperor, which may have followed a powerful entity from the Age of Demons. The Heirs of Dhakaan There are few Dhakaani clans who preserved the traditions of the empire to the modern age. Known as the Heirs of Dhakaan, these groups hid in vaults to preserve their traditions. The remnant clans have emerged in modern Darguun. Some of these clans which maintain the traditions of the lost empire are the Kech Volaar, the "Word Bearers", and the Kech Shaarat, the "Bladebearers". Lost relics of the empire exist in the Dhakaani ruins of Khorvaire, which the clans that make up the Heirs of Dhakaan jealously guard and seek to retrieve for their own use. Notes The shift from 3.5e to 4e meant the introduction of the dragonborn into Eberron. The Dhakaani were said to have clashed with the dragonborn before they were forced to retreat back to Q'barra. In the Legacy of Dhakaan book series by Don Bassingthwaite the last emperor of the Dhakaani, called the "Shaking Emperor", because he was afraid of everything, fled and disappeared, taking with him a byeshk scepter, an artifact held by countless emperor's before him. Lhesh Haruuc, the ruler of modern Darguun, desires the scepter as a symbol of his rule, hoping it will keep his people united. Keith Baker has suggested on his website that the various subraces of Goblinoids of the Dhakaani Empire were more harmonious in cooperating across the the three various races than those of the current age. This is attributed to the influence of the daelkyr shattering their eusocial bond, which allowed cooperation among the three primary subraces (bugbears, goblins, and hobgoblins). References Category:History Category:Former Nations & Empires Category:Civilizations of the Age of Monsters